Stay With Me (A BWWM Russian Billionaire Romance Novel) (Imani's Russian Billionaire Series Book 1) (10 page)

“
S
o
, that is the entire story about Irina,” Vlad finished as they stood outside of the studio in the sunshine.

Thania leaned up and kissed him, thrilled that she now could do so whenever she wanted. He immediately pushed her up against the outside wall of the studio, gently cradling her so that her skin and her clothes only touched his arms. Soon, they were kissing like teenagers, not caring about the rest of the world.

“I’m so glad that we talked today and ironed out our misunderstandings,” he said after pulling back slightly.

She ran her fingers through his thick hair and he hummed in appreciation.

“Yes, me too,” she agreed emphatically and then kissed him again. She couldn’t seem to keep her hands off him, and Vlad responded in kind.

I can’t believe how happy I am. We’re together! Hopefully, someday, he’ll want a future with me like I do with him.

She was done pretending to everyone, but especially to herself, that she wasn’t in love with him. She was head over heels, madly in love with Vlad, and it felt incredible to be in his arms again.

“Will you come and spend some time alone with me?” Vlad asked, his eyes so green in the sunlight that they looked almost iridescent.

“Of course.” It wasn’t even a question that needed to be asked, as far as she was concerned. All she wanted to do was be alone with him.

They went back inside to gather her things, and shortly after, they had arrived at a posh hotel downtown. As Vlad handed his keys to the valet, she asked him what was going on.

“How come we didn’t go to your house? Mansion, estate, castle, whatever.”

He laughed and looked at her oddly before grabbing her up in his arms once more.

“My
house
is too far away. So, while you grabbed your stuff, I made a quick call to the hotel and reserved a suite for us. You don’t like it?” He nuzzled her neck while he waited for her response.

Oh, he feels so good. I can’t wait to be alone and in bed with him.

“Oh no, I like it,” she answered, and he took her hand, grabbed a room key from the waiting concierge, and strode over to the elevator banks, gently pulling her along the entire way.

“Do I need to carry you again?” he asked with a smile, as they entered the elevator. He punched in the necessary code for the penthouse and the elevator started its ascent.

“Maybe,” she said coyly, and he leaned his whole body against her as they kissed.

Thania was so ready to be naked with him that her body was shivering. Finally, the elevator doors opened directly into the suite, but Vlad didn’t stop kissing her. Until she heard,

“Surprise!”

V
lad had planned
a surprise party for Thania in the suite. It turned out, he had been planning it for days, as a way to show her how much he cared and wanted to be with her. Part of her was thrilled by his sweet gesture, and part of her was vastly disappointed that they weren’t going to be alone anytime soon.

“I can’t believe you got me all worked up like that in the elevator,” she whispered to him just before greeting her friends and family.

“Later, my love,” he responded with a wink, and her stomach flip flopped.

He had invited her parents and brother, which was so wonderful of him. She introduced them all to each other, and her mom and dad seemed to approve. He had also invited her girlfriends Daya and Asha, and his friends Maks and Mick. All of the models and makeup artists and hair stylists from the show were there, even Len.

“Hey, doll,” Len said when she said hello. “Seems that sugar likes your honey,” he continued in a sing-song voice, and she playfully swatted him.

“Shut up,” she said, with no venom and a big smile.

“Never, doll,” he replied.

She and Vlad spent the afternoon and early evening playing hosts, and while she was so appreciative of his thoughtful gesture, the longer she looked at him talking to another person across the room, the more she wanted him. By the time the last person had left, she was in quite a state.

“I had such a wonderful time,” she said as she kissed his mouth immediately after the elevator doors closed on the last guest.

“Mmm, you’re welcome,” he said as he swung her up into his arms and walked purposefully toward the bedroom. He placed her next to the bed.

She felt adrenaline rush through her body as she watched him watching her, his eyes roaming slowly over her generous breasts, after she’d taken off her blouse. Vlad was already breathing heavy and his eyes were half-closed. He sank down on his knees in front of her and reached up to unzip her skirt so she could take it off. He then lifted her feet to remove her heels, and he threw them on the floor.

When he didn’t stand up right away, she put her hands on his shoulders to balance herself. He looked up and put his hands on the back of her thighs above her knees, and very slowly leaned his face in toward her panties.

She was shocked by an almost overwhelming need for him—and then he rested his face at the top of her thighs and inhaled her scent gently. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, the pleasure of that moment causing her legs to almost give out. She moaned as he cupped her ass and pulled her sex closer to his face, so that he could inhale again. The ache in her pussy was almost painful.

She breathed very hard as her hands grabbed his shirt and made fists on his shoulders. She felt him drag one hand from her behind to the front of her panties. He took his index finger and slipped it underneath the lace, dragging his finger down past her clit until he was gently rubbing the folds of her pussy.

Her legs started to shake, and he said, “Look at me.”

She looked down and he dragged his finger back up to her hard clit and stared into her eyes as he rubbed twice. She came so hard that she got light-headed and her knees finally buckled. When she was able to think again, he had placed her on the bed.

“
Vlad
,” she groaned, and all she cared about at that moment was being with him.

He was so strong and she felt so feminine, and she had never before felt more powerful.

“You are so beautiful,” he told her softly as he pushed her hair off her forehead.

“And you are so, so handsome,” she responded as she reached down and took his dick in her hands.

“
God, Thania
,” he managed, as she massaged his cock with skillful hands.

After only a few minutes, he grabbed her hand to stop her. His tongue was in her mouth as he used one hand to guide his tip to her entrance. Then he grabbed her face gently with both hands as they kept kissing, while he slid all the way inside her. They both moaned—the feeling as he filled her up completely, while his breath was her breath, and his body weight pushed hers down into the bed, was indescribable.

She could feel his heart beat against her chest as she kissed him. His heart started beating even faster as he kissed her back—lush, sexual kisses that she knew would leave their mark on them both.

He pushed even further into the bed as he started thrusting in and out in a steady rhythm, and she came quickly and splendidly. When she did, he sped up as her muscles squeezed his cock, and he placed a hand behind one of her thighs, to open her further for his thrusts. He pumped over and over, harder and harder into her. The sounds and smells of sex surrounded them.

“I missed you so much,” he managed to say.

“I missed you too, Vlad,” she whispered in reply.

He put his face next to hers, their cheeks touching as he gripped her gently, and soon she was falling over the cliff with him. He collapsed on top of her, and she didn’t want him to move, and he didn’t seem able to, anyway. They lay that way for a while, his hand on the back of her head, his face next to hers, his body completely covering her like a blanket.

She moved her hands around his back, gently holding him. He moved his fingers to lightly rub the back of her neck.

“Thania, I love you,” he said, as his heart started to slow against hers.

She thrilled at his words. “Oh, Vlad, I love you, too.”

“
W
ake up
, sleepy head,” he said, hoping that Thania was a morning person.

After their last ‘morning-after’, he wasn’t so sure. He held a steaming cup of coffee in his hand—black, no sugar—just the way she liked it, as he remembered that she was a lot more civil once she’d drank a cup on the ‘Berlin Wall Day’.

She groaned after he gently shook her, and he braced himself.

“Hi, love,” he said as she opened her eyes.

She blinked several times, and then sat up, but said nothing. He handed her the coffee and stood back, watching as she drank the entire cup in almost one gulp.

That was impressive.

“Another?”
he asked, holding his hand out for the cup.

She gave it back to him, again without speaking. He watched her guzzle a second cup, and then, finally, she smiled at him.

“Good morning, my love,” she said in her sweet voice, and he was so happy he thought his heart might explode in his chest.

“So, it takes two cups, huh?”

She lightly swatted his arm as she laughed.

“I have a surprise for you,” he said, when he was sure the danger period was over.

“A surprise?
Another
one?” she asked, as she sat back against the pillows, looking to him like a goddess.

“Yes, another one.”

“Well, what is it?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“What do you mean, you can’t tell me? Remember, we got into trouble because we didn’t explain things to each other before, Vlad.”

She had a point, but he really wanted this to be a surprise.

“Nope, not telling. Can you get dressed, though? We leave in thirty minutes.”

“Thirty minutes? Are you crazy? Do you know how long it takes a woman to ‘get ready’?” She scowled at him.

“I know, my love. But I promise, you won’t need to bring anything other than yourself. And I promise it will be worth it.”

She looked like she didn’t believe him.

“Do you trust me?” he asked.

“Of course.”

“Then, get dressed, love.”

S
even hours later
, she realized that trusting him had been a fabulous idea. He had driven her to a private landing strip right outside of the city, where they had boarded a private plane. His private plane. She still couldn’t believe it. She had known that he was rich, of course, but she had not known the extent of his wealth. Apparently, there were many levels of ‘rich’. Vlad’s seemed to be somewhere in the ‘filthy’ level.

He still refused to tell her where they were going, even once the flight took off. She knew they were headed south, because, well, the plane was headed south. But, beyond that, she had no idea. The farther south they went, the happier she became about the surprise. She began to envision a Caribbean island in her near future.

And she was correct. They landed on a tiny island in the Caribbean Sea that had no name. Vlad owned it, naturally, so she had upped his level of rich to ‘obscene’.

They were greeted by some of Vlad’s island staff that lived there year round. The island was absolutely stunning, with its pure white sand, aqua colored water, and tropical foliage. They were staying at Vlad’s house on the island. And this time, it actually was a ‘house’. Well, it was his house on his private island, but still. She decided not to quibble over the details.

The house was more like a very large version of a cottage. It had a beautiful, wide-planked wooden porch surrounding all four sides, cedar shakes that had been stained a gorgeous gray color from the sea, and enough room to fit ten people.

“I come here with my family when they visit,” he explained when she noticed more children’s drawings. “There isn’t anything like this in Russia,” he added, and they both laughed.

The house was two stories, with an open plan on the first floor. It was basically one massive room, meant for gathering and spending time together. The upstairs had many bedrooms and baths, each with magnificent views of the beach.

He brought her up to his bedroom almost as soon as they had arrived, and they made love while they listened to the sounds of the waves crashing. It was beautiful and romantic and she never wanted to go home.

She never asked him how long they were going to stay, because she dreaded the answer. She texted Daya and Asha, and her assistant, to let them know she was going away with Vlad for a little while. Other than that, she’d had no interaction with the outside world. There was no internet connection here and it felt rather freeing. She and Vlad had spent about ten days just really enjoying each other, and getting to know each other better. And of course, making love.

They went snorkeling, her very first foray into the world of breathing through a tube, and it was magical. She could not believe the amount and variety of absolutely breathtaking fish there was to see! And they were everywhere. If she stuck her head underwater and opened her eyes, she didn’t even have to move. They all just swam by, like her own tropical kaleidoscope.

But at some point, she knew this had to come to an end, and she and Vlad would have to head home. They had not discussed what would happen when they were back to their normal lives; she knew they were in a relationship, but it would be strange to not see him every day, and sleep with him every night.

I love him. So very, very much.

He quickly became the most important person in her world, but instead of feeling scared about that, she felt exhilarated. Simply because she knew that Vlad felt the same way about her. He was always so kind and sweet to her. He made sure she was comfortable and had everything she needed, before he worried about himself. It was the same in the bedroom, too. He was a very giving lover.

She pushed away the nagging thoughts of what would happen when he returned to Russia in two years. That was a long time from now, and a lot could happen between now and then. But as far as she was concerned, she wanted him in her life forever.

V
lad told
her to be ready for dinner at eight o’clock. But of course, he refused to tell her anything else. Thania took a shower and slathered herself with lotion. She did not wear any makeup while here, so she didn’t put any on. She simply slipped a long sarong around her body and tied it between her breasts. With a pair of bikini bottoms on, it was an outfit. In fact, it was dressed up, she thought with a smile.

She walked down to the sea with Raphael as her guide. Raphael was Vlad’s caretaker, and Vlad wanted her to meet him at a specific spot in order to watch the sunset together. So Raphael was making sure that she went the right way. She sighed. Vlad had done so many romantic things since they had arrived here; she would have to write them all down so she never forgot one single detail.

She said goodbye to Raphael and started to stroll toward the spot on the sand where they would have dinner. Vlad had already arranged a blanket and a basket of food, but he was nowhere to be seen. She walked up to the blanket and sat down. She had just popped the cork on some champagne, when she heard Vlad behind her.

“Don’t turn around,” his gravelly voice said in her ear, and she smiled.

Those were the first words he had ever spoken to her. His body as he knelt behind her felt just as delicious against her back now, as it had the day that they had met.

“I wish they had paired us together,” he said, and she smiled wider.

Aww, he’s being sentimental. I can’t believe he’s thinking the same thing right now.

“They should have known that we belong together,” he continued softly against her ear. “Anyone within a mile of the two of us should be able to figure that out. I knew it the minute I saw you across that room, even though I was scared at the time. But I’m not scared anymore, Thania.”

Her heart started to pound as she listened to him.

“I’m not scared, and I know what I want,” he said as he came around and knelt in front of her. “I love you, Thania Walter. I am truly, madly, deeply in love with you, and I know that I will be for the rest of my life and beyond. I pray that you feel the same way about me.”

She nodded at him because she was fighting back tears and couldn’t speak.

“I don’t care where we live. I don’t care if I eventually must leave the jewelry company. I would follow you to the ends of the earth, in order to be with you.”

“Vlad,” she whispered, as tears fell down her cheeks.

“Shhh, I’m not done,” he said, and she laughed.

“The next time you have a fashion show, I want to be front and center, watching with pride. I want someone to come up to me after the show, and I want to be able to tell them that I am Thania Walter’s husband. I can think of nothing else that would make me more proud.”

She smiled and cried at the same time, amazed at what he was saying to her. Then, he brought a tiny seashell from behind his back. It was one she had picked up on their many walks on the beach. It was perfect: inside was a rainbow of colors, all blended in to each other. When she’d found it, she’d told him, “this one reminds me of us,” and he’d smiled and slipped it into his pocket.

As she looked down at it now, nestled at the bottom of the rainbow seashell, was a diamond ring. She brought her hands to her mouth and cried harder.

“Thania Walter,” he said, “will you do me the honor of allowing me to become your husband? Would you stay with me, forever?”

“Yes! Oh my God, yes!” she managed, and they hugged and cried together.

Eventually, he slipped the ring on her finger, and she was speechless once again. It was a beautiful, huge, round diamond, surrounded in a circle by a single stone in every color of the rainbow.

T
hey made
love on the blanket, under the stars and next to the sea. They talked about how they both felt so incredibly blessed to have found one another. They talked about their future, and how many children they each hoped for: Thania wanted two and Vlad wanted seven. She laughed and told him to forget it.

They talked about her business and the success of the runway show. They talked about the jewelry company, and all that he had to do in the next coming years to achieve a good market share in America. They talked about their friends, and how odd it was that her two best girlfriends, and his two best guy friends, were all single. Maybe they would each find the happiness that Vlad and Thania shared.

And then they laughed a little bit smugly, but they could be forgiven—after all, they just received the biggest gift that life had to offer—True Love.